Apparatus or machine for stretching leather, hides, or skins.



.A. CLEVELAND;

APPARATUS 0B MACHINE FOB STRETGHING LEATHER, HIDEB, 0B SKINS.

y APPLICATION FILED D EOJI om L ma im? 4 A W M v m. P115111 0 k W Jm E vw; w W m N |HHUHHHHHUHHHHHHHHHIHHHHH 4| N m m M M H w 4 m 1 11 M a 4nD... O A. .6 l 3 O A m m 9. z r

I -A. CLEVELAND. APPARATUS 0R MACHINE FOB STBETGHING LEATHER, RIDES, 0RSKINS.

APPLICATION nun nn0.z1,1eo7.

901 ,324, Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

, 86 a SHEETS-SHEET 2 WITNESSES S. Q I v INVENTOR'.

S v Arthur Cleve la d,

ATTORNEYS A. CLEVELAND. APPARATUS 0R MAGHINE FOR STRETOHING LEATHER, HIDES, 0R SKIIW.

.5 SHEETS*SHEET 4,

mvamom mavelaqa,

' 5 Arthur QEL R M ATTORNEYS ARTHUR CLEVELAND, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS OR MACHINE FOR STRET CI-IING LEATHER, HIDES, 0R SKINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

Application filed December 21, 1907. Serial No. 07,601.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR CLEVELAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus or Machinesfor Stretching Leather, Hides, or Skins; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

The present invention has reference, generally, to improvements in thatclass of apparatus or devices used for the purpose of stretchingleather, hides or skins; and, the invention relates, more particularly,to that class of apparatus in which the leather, hide or skin isarranged in a leather-stretching frame, which frame forms an independentand separable part from the apparatus which embodies the principles ofthe present invention, said frame being adapted to be placed upon thetable or bed of the apparatus and its various frame-members being placedagainst suitable lugs, blocks, or the like, which are used inconjunction with movable stretching slides of the apparatus, which, bymeans of suitable mechanism are moved in opposite directions against theframe-members of the independent stretching frame in which the leather,hide or skin is supported, to stretch the leather, hide or skin to itsfullest capacity without danger of weakening the same.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a simplyconstructed and readily and easily operated leather or hidestretchingapparatus of the general character hereinafter set forth; and one, inwhich all the puckers, creases and other uneven spots in the leather,skin or hide are removed therefrom, and the latter is evenly anduniformly stretched in all directions to its fullest extent.

A further object of this invention is to provide a leather-stretchingdevice or apparatus in which the hide or skin in the frame, when placedupon thetable of the stretching machine or apparatus, is stretched muchfaster one way than in another direction, substantially for the purposeshereinafter more fully set forth, and thereby provides a means for morereadily obtaining all the possible stretch out of a hide or skin.

Other objects of the present invention not at this time moreparticularly enumerated will be clearly evident from the followingdetailed description of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure 1 is a plan view of the stretching machine or apparatusembodying the principles of this invention, with the independentstretching frame and a hide or skin supported in said frame shown in itsoperative and stretched position upon the table or bed of the apparatus.Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device, with a certain plate of theinterior mechanism omitted from said view, to show the generalarrangement of a gearmechanism and racks for operating the sev- 1 eralstretching-bars. Fig. 3 is a part longitudinal section and part sideelevation ofthe apparatus; and Fig. 4 is an end View of the machine orapparatus, looking in a direction toward the operating wheel of thedevice. Fig. 5 is a plan View, on an enlarged scale, of thegear-mechanism and lower member of a box in which the racks are slidablyarranged, the racks being omitted from said view; and Fig. 6 is a sideview of said gearmechanism and the lower and upper members of said box.Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on a vertical plane on line 9-9 insaid Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the under side of thetop-member or cover of said box, said view being made on a reducedscale. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of one of the racks.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the abovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawings, thereference-character 1 indicates a piece of leather, hide or skin whichis suspended in any usual manner between the four adjustably connectedframe-pieces or members 2, 3, i and 5 of any well-known construction ofordinary leather stretching frame. The stretching machine or apparatuswith which such stretching frame may be used is indicated moreparticularly by the referencecharacter 6. The said apparatus,

which may be made of any suitable material,

preferably wood, consists, essentially, of a box-like body comprising abottom 7, two end-pieces 8, and two sides 9, supported upon suitablelegs or standards 10. The endpieces 8 are provided with suitablydisposed openings 11, and the sides 9 are in a like manner provided withsuitably disposed openlngs 12, the openings 12, however, being largerthan the openings 11, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings,and for the purposes hereinafter more fully set forth. Suitably disposedupon the upper edges of said end-pieces 8 and sides 9 is a cover 13,which is preferably removably placed upon the said parts, and which Ishall hereinafter term the table or bed of the apparatus, upon which thehide or skin rests during the stretching operation. the said bottom 7,so as to be-centra'lly located between the opposite end pieces 8 and theopposite sides 9 of said box-like body, is a box-like member in which iscontained a gear-mechanisn1 which can be operated for producingreciprocatory actions of a number of-operating racks, in the manner tobe presently more fully described. This box-like member comprises asuitably formed base or bottom plate 14, which is provided withperforated ears .or lugs 15 for the reception of bolts or screws bymeans of which the said plate-can be secured in its fixed position uponthe said bottom 7, as will :be clearlyevident.

The said plate 14, is provided near twoof its edge;p.ortions withsuitably formed ribs or supporting members 16, which may be pro- Videdin :their inner faces 17 with receiving sockets 18 in which .may bedisposed suitable 1 rollers 19..

Ateach end of each rib .or supporting member 16 is a .post 20. The baseor bottomplate 'is also preferably provided with another ,pair of ribs21, and with any suitable number of receiving sockets 22 in which aredisposed suitable rollers 23. Resting upon upper edges-of said ribs orsupporting members 16 is a top-plate or cover 24, said plate beingstormed with the right-angled portions or members 25, which are adaptedto be fitted upon said members 16, with the end-portions 26 of eachmember 25 resting against the posts 20, so as to prevent lateral displacement, as will be evident. The said plate I 24 may also be providedwith a pair of ribs 27, and said right-angled portions or members 25 maybe made with receiving sockets 28, in which are suitably disposedrollers 29. Upon its upper surface the said plate or cover 24 may bemade with ribs '30, and the 3 right-angled portions or members 25 may bestrengthened by means of suitably formed webs 31. Rotatably arranged incorrespondingly arranged holes 32 and 33 in the respective bottom andtop-plates 14 and 24 are the cylindrical end-portions 35 and 36 of aspindle 34, said spindle being provided with an angularly 0r polygonallyshaped portion 37, the lower shoulder or edge 38 of which rests upon theupper and inner face of said bottom plate 14 for rotatably supportingSuitably. secured upon gear-wheel 40 being mounted upon said spindle,above the said angular portion 37 and being secured to said spindlepreferably by means of a pin 41. The said gear-wheels 39 and 40, may beof the same size, but the upper gear 40 is preferably of a less diameterthan the diameter of the gear-wheel 39, substantially as shown in thedrawings, and for the purposes hereinafter more fully de scribed.Rotatably arranged in an opening or hole 42 in the bottom 7 of thebox-like body of the machine or apparatus is a driving spindle 42,having upon its lower endportion 43 a bevel-gear 44. The upper portionof ,said spindle 42 is rotatably arranged in a hole 45 in thebottom-plate l4, and eX- tends vertically into the space between thebottom plate 14 and the top-plate or cover 24. The extreme .upperend-portion 46 of said spindle 42 is rotatably disposed in abearing-portion 48 formed in a plate 47 which is secured to the bottomof one of the right-angled portions or members of said plate 24, bymeans of screws 49 or other suitable fastening devices. Suitably mountedupon that portion of the splndle 42 above the bottom-plate 14, andsecured thereon by means of a pin 50,-or other fastening means, is apinion 51, the teeth of which engage with the teeth of the largergear-wheel 39.

lVhen the two plates 14 and 24 have been secured by means of the plate14 upon the bottom 7, and the previously mentioned cover or lid 13 isplaced down upon the surrounding sides or members 8 and 9 of the body ofthe machine, then will the lower or under face of the said cover 13 restand bear di-rectlydown upon the upper edge-portions of the ribs 30, asclearly represented in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and the interior of thebody of the machine or apparatus is provided with a rack-box formed inall of its opposite sides with the open parts 52 and Referring now moreparticularly to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the referencecharacters 54indicate a ,pair of racks, which are .slidably disposed upon the ribs 21of the lower plate 14 and bear upon the rollers 23 and against therollers 19, said. racks extending from the open parts 52 and havingtheir gear-teeth meshing with the diametrically opposed gear-teeth .ofthe gear-wheel 39. Each rack 54 is also made with an angular or othersuitably formed part, as 56, formed with a suitable fastening portion,as 57, to which is secured by means of bolts and nuts 58, or in anyother suitable manner, a cross-bar 59.

Suitably connected with the cross-bars 59,

at or near the endportions of each bar, are stretcher-members orelements 60, which extend through the openings 11 in the endpieees 8,said members resting and moving upon suitable rollers 61, having theirends journaled in bearings 62 suitably secured to said endpieces 8,substantially as shown in the several figures of the drawings. Eachstretcher-member or element 60 is also pro vided with suitably disposedholes or openings, as 63, for the reception of the studs 65 of the usualframe-lugs 64:.- As shown, each rack, 54 may be provided upon its underside with downwardly extending ears 67, carrying a pin 66 upon which isrotatably arranged between said cars 67, a roller or wheel 68 whichrests and is movably dis posed upon a rail or track 69, suitably securedupon the bottom 7, as will be clearly understood.

The reference-characters 70 indicate another pair of racks, which areslidably arranged upon the upper edges of the ribs 16 of the plate 1-1and beneath the ribs 27 of the plate 24 and against the rollers 29, saidracks 70 extending from the open parts 55, and having their gear-teeth71 meshing with the diametrically opposed gear-teeth of the gear-wheel40. Each rack 70 is also made with an angular or other suitably formedpart, as 72, provided with a suitable fasten ing-portion, as 73, towhich is secured by means of bolts and nuts 7 1, or in any othersuitable manner a cross-bar 75. Suitably connected with the cross-bars75,- at or near the end-portions of each bar, are stretcher-members orelements 76, which extend through the openings 12 in the sides 9, saidmembers 76 resting and moving upon rollers 61, having their endsjournaled in the bearings 62 suitably secured. to the sides 9, The freeend-portions of the stretcher-members or elements 76 which extend beyondthe said openings 12 are suitably thickened or provided with areinforcing block, as 77, so as to bring the upper surface-portions ofthese members in the same horizontal plane with the uppersurface-portions of the stretchermembers 60, so that the framemembers ofthe stretcher-frame will be properly supported, as will be, clearlyevident, Each element or member 76 is also provided with suitablydisposed holes or openings, as 78, for the reception of the studs 65' ofthe frame-lugs 64;. Each rack 70 is also provided upon its under surfacewith a wheel or roller, similar to the wheels or rollers used with theracks 54, the Wheels or rollers of the racks 70 resting and rolling uponthe rails or tracks 7 9 which are suitably secured upon the bottom 7,substantially as shown.

Having in the foregoing fully described one general arrangement andconstruction of mechanism disposed within the interior of the body ofthe stretching machine or apparatus for producing the reciprocatorymovements of the racks and the corresponding movements upon each side ofthe said body of the pairs of stretching bars or members 60 and 7 6, Iwill now briefly describe one means for actuating the gear-mechanismwhich is employed for producing the movements of the racks. Thismechanism is shown in a general way in Fig. 3 of the drawings, andconsists, essentially, of a shaft 80 which is mounted in suitablebearings 82 of brackets S1 which are secured to and extend downwardlyfrom the bottom 7 of the machine, substantially as shown; At its oneend-portion, the said shaft is provided with a hand-wheel 83, or othersuitable device, for revolving said shaft 80 Upon its other end, orother suitable portion, the shaft is pro vided with a pinion 84 which isin engagement with a gear 85 mounted upon another shaft 86. Thislast-mentioned shaft is rotatably mounted in the bearings 88 of brackets87, and said shaft is provided with a toothed bevel -wheel or gear 89which meshes with the bevel-wheel or gear 14:.

From an inspection of said Fig. 3 it will be seen, that by turning thehand-wheel 83 in either direction, the vertical shaft or spindle 42 willbe correspondingly revolved, so asto correspondingly actuate the gears51, 39 and 40, to produce the corresponding movements of the racks, andthe stretcherelements or members, either in their outward or inwarddirections, as may be desired,

To retain the various parts of the mechanism in their fixed positions,when the piece of leather, or the skin or hide, has been stretched toits fullest and desired capacity, and before removing the independentstretching frame from the apparatus or machine, with the fully stretchedleather, hide or skin in said frame, a ratchet-wheel 90 is arranged andsecured upon the shaft 80, and a holding dog or pawl 91 is pivotallyconnected with one of said brackets 81 or other part of the frame-workof the apparatus, said dog or pawl being adapted to have its freeendportion or nosing 92 brought in detachable holding engagement withthe ratchet-wheel 90, substantially as illustrated in Fig. l of thedrawings, so as to prevent any backward movement or release of thevarious parts of the mechanism, and while tightening the clampingdevices connected with the overlapped portions of the frame-members 2,3, 4t and 5, as will be clearly evident.

From the foregoing description of my present invention it will beclearly seen,- that I have devised a simple and efiiciently operatingstretching-apparatus or machine, in which the frame-members of thestretching frame, after the piece of leather, skin or hide has beenloosely mounted between said framemembers, can be easily and quicklyplaced in their respective positions against the retaining or holdinglugs of the stretching bars or members of the apparatus, the mechanismof the apparatus when set in motion operating to evenly stretch the hideor skin in all directions.

It has been found in practice, that to more perfectly stretch a skin orhide, the stretch should be greater in the directions toward the sidesof the hide or skin, instead of toward the neck and tail-end of the skinor hide; and, it is for this reason that the gearwheel 39 is of greaterdiameter than the gearwheel 40, so that the laterally moving racks andcorresponding stretcher-bars or members will move faster and furtherthan the other and longitudinally moving racks and correspondingstretcher-bars, and that during the stretching operations, the leatheror skins or hides will be properly stretched to a greater degree in thedirections toward the two sides, and to a lesser degree toward the neckand tail-ends of the skin or hide.

I am aware that changes may be made in the arrangements and combinationsof the devices and parts, as well as in the details of the constructionof the same, without departing from the scope of my present inven tion,as defined in the appended claims. Hence I do not limit my invention tothe exact arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts, asdescribed in the foregoing specification, nor do I confine myself to theexact details of the construction of the said parts as illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

1. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a bodyforming a table for the support thereon of the skin or hide which is tobe stretched, of differentially moving racks, and stretching membersextending from the sides of the apparatus and actuated by means of said.racks. I

2. In aleather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a body forminga table for the support thereon of the skin or hide which is to bestretched, of differentially moving racks, gear-wheels in mesh with theteeth of said racks, and stretching members extending from the sides ofthe apparatus and actu ated by means of said racks.

8. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a bodyforming a table for the support thereon of the skin or hide which is tobe stretched, of differentially moving racks, gearwheels in mesh withthe teeth of said racks, and stretching members extending from the sidesof the apparatus and actuated by means of said racks, a pinion in meshwith one of said gear-wheels, and means for actuating said pinion,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

l. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a bodyforming a table for the support thereon of the skin or hide which is tobe stretched, of differentially moving racks, gear-wheels in mesh withthe teeth of said racks, and stretching members extending from the sidesof the apparatus and actuated by means of said racks, a pinion in meshwith one of said gear-wheels, and means for actuating said pinion,consisting of a shaft provided with means for operating the same, agear-wheel on said shaft, a second shaft, a gearwheel on said secondshaft with which the gear-wheel of the firstmentioned shaft engages, abevel-gear on said second shaft, and a second bevel-gear arranged uponthe spindle of said pinion and in mesh with said first-mentionedbevelgear, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a bodyforming a table for the support thereon of the skin or hide which is tobe stretched, of a series of crossbars, differentially moving racksconnected with said cross-bars, and stretching members extending fromeach cross-bar and from the sides of the apparatus.

6. In a leatherstretching apparatus, the combination with a body forminga table for the support thereon of the skin or hide which is to bestretched, of a series of crossbars, differentially moving racksconnected with said cross-bars, gear-wheels in mesh with the teeth ofsaid racks, and stretching members extending from each crossbar and fromthe sides of the apparatus.

7. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a bodyforming a table for the support thereon of the skin or hide which is tobe stretched, of a series of crossbars, differentially moving racksconnected with said cross-bars, gear-wheels in mesh with the teeth ofsaid racks, and stretching members extending from each cross-bar andfrom the sides of the apparatus, a pinion in mesh with one of saidgear-wheels, and means for actuating said pinion, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

8. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with abody forminga table for the support thereon of the skin or hide which is to bestretched, of a series of crossbars, difierentially moving racksconnected with said cross-bars, gear-wheels in mesh with the teeth ofsaid racks, and stretching members extending from each cross-bar andfrom the sides of the apparatus, a pinion in mesh with one of saidgear-wheels, and means for actuating said pinion, consisting of a shaftprovided with means for operating the same, a gear-wheel on said shaft,a second shaft, a gear-wheel on said second shaft with which thegear-wheel of the firstmentioned shaft engages, a bevel-gear on saidsecond shaft, and a second bevelgear arranged upon the spindle of saidpinion and in mesh with said first-mentioned bevelgear, substantially.as and "for the Y'PUIPOSQS i scombination with a hollow body forming aset forth.

:9 In a vleather -=stretching apparatus, the

combination with a hollow body forming a table for the support thereonof a skin or hide which is to be stretched, of a box in said :body,saidbox comprising a base-plate1 and a top-plate, said box being formed withopen parts :in its SldQS,L series of cross-bars in the body of theapparatus, stretching members extending from said cross bars and fromthe sides of the body of said appara tus, a series of racks arrangedbetween the bottomand top-plates of said box andhavingiportionslextending from the open parts thereof, each rack beingconnected with a cross-bar, tracks within the body of the ap-i paratus,and rollers connected with said racks and running upon said tracks, andmeans 111 said box for producing rec1pro-' catory movements of saidracks.

=10. Ina leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a hollowbody forming a table for the support thereon of a skin or hide which isto be stretched, of a box in said body, said box comprising a base-plateanda top-plate, said box being formed with open parts in its sides,aseries of crossbar-s in the body of the apparatus, stretching membersextending from said cross-bars and from the sides of the body of saidappara-' tus, aseries of racks arranged between the bottom andtop-plates of said box and =hav-f ing portions extending from the openparts thereof, each rack being connected with a crosssbar, tracks withinthebod-y 0f the ap paratus, and rollers connected with said racks andrunning upon said tracks, and gear-wheels in said box and in mesh withthe teeth of said racks for producing recip-' i :and:top-plates of saidbox and having pori'ocatory anovements of said racks.

said body, said box comprising a base-plate and.a topplate,said boxbeing formed with open parts in its sides, a series of cross-bars in thebody of the apparatus, stretching membersextending from said cross-barsand from the sides of the bodyiof saidapparatus, a series of racksarranged between the bottom and top-plates ofsaid box and &havingportions extending from the open parts thereof, each rack beingconnected with a cross-bar, tracks within the body of the apparatus, androllers connected with said racks and running upon said tracks,

the :teeth vof said racks for producing reciprocatory movements of saidracks, a pinion also arranged in said box and in mesh with one of saidgear-wheels, and means for actuating said pinion, substantially as andfor the purposes set forth.

and gear-wheels in said box and in mesh with 12. In a =1eatherstretchin-g apparatus, the

table for the support thereon of a skin or bids which is to bestretched, of a box in said body, said box comprising a base-plate and-atop-plate, saidbox beingformed with open parts in its sides, aseriesofcross-bars in the body of the apparatus, stretching membersextending from said-crossbars and from the sides of the body of saidapparatus, a series of racks arranged between the bottom and top-platesof saidbox and having portions extending from :the open parts thereof,:each rack being connected -with a cross-bar, tracks within the body ofthe apparatus, and rollers connected with said racks and running uponsaid tracks, and gear-wheels in said box and in mesh with the teeth ofsaid racks for producing recipro- ,catory movements of said racks, apinion also arranged in said box and in mesh with one of saidgear-wheels, and means for actuating said pinion, consisting of a shaftprovided with means foroperating thesame, la gear-wheel on said shaft, asecond shaft, gear-wheel on said secondshaft with which the gear-wheelof the first-mentioned shaft engages, a bevel-gear on said second shaft,and a second bevel-gear arranged upon the spindle of said pinion and inmesh with said first --mentioned bevel-gear, substantially as and for@the purposes set forth.

13. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a hollowbody forming a table for the support of a skin or hide which is toxbestretched, of a box in said body, said lbox comprising a base-plateand a top-plate, and said box-being formed with open parts in its sides,a series of rollers in said box, a series of racks arranged between thebottom :tions extending from the open parts thereof, said racks being inrolling engagement with :the rollers in said box, stretching membersextending from the sides of the body of said apparatus and adapted to beactuated by said racks, and means in said box for pro- 'ducingreciprocatory movements of said racks.

14. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a hollowbody forming a table for thesupport of a skin or hidewhich :is to bestretched, of a box in said body,said box comprising abase-plateand atop-plate, and said box being formed with open parts in its sides, aseries of rollers in said box, a series of racks arranged between thebottom and top-plates of said box and having por- :tions extending fromthe open parts thereof, said racks being in rolling engagement with therollers in said box, stretching members extending from the sides of thebody of said apparatus and adapted to be actuated by said racks, andgear-wheelson said box and in mesh with the teeth of said racks forproducing reeiprocatory movements of said racks.

15.- In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a hollowbody forming a table for the support of a skin or hide which is to bestretched, of a box in said body, said box comprising a base-plate and atop-plate, and said box being formed with open parts in its sides, aseries of rollers in said box, a series of racks arranged between thebottom and top-plates of said box and having portions extending from theopen parts thereof, said racks being in rolling engagement with therollers in said box, stretching members extending from the sides of thebody of said apparatus and adapted to be actuated by said racks, andgear-wheels in said box and in mesh with the teeth of said racks forproducing reeiprocatory movements of said racks, a pinion also arrangedin said box and in mesh with one of said gear-wheels, and means foractuating said pinion, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

16. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a hollowbody forming a table for the support of a skin or hide which is to bestretched, of a box in said body, said box comprising a base-plate and atop-plate, and said box being formed with open parts in its sides, aseries of rollers in said box, a series of racks arranged between thebottom and top-plates of said box and having portions extending from theopen parts thereof, said racks being in rolling engagement with therollers in said box, stretching members extending from the sides of thebody of said apparatus and adapted to be actuated by said racks, andgear-wheels on said box and in mesh with the teeth of said racks forproducing reeiprocatory movements of said racks, a pinion also arrangedin said box and in mesh with one of said gear-wheels, and means foractuating said pinion, consisting of a shaft provided with means foroperating the same, a gear-wheel on said shaft, a

second shaft, a gear-wheel on said second shaft with which thegear-wheel of the first-- mentioned shaft engages, a bevel-gear on saidsecond shaft, and a second bevel-gear arranged upon the spindle of saidpinion and in mesh with said first-mentioned bevelgear, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

17 In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a hollow bodyforming a table for the support of a skin or hide which is to bestretched, of a box in said body, said box comprising a base-plate and atop-plate, and said box being formed with open parts in its sides, aseries of rollers in said box, a series of racks arranged between thebottom and top-plates of said box and having portions extending from theopen parts thereof, said racks being in rolling engagement with therollers in said box, stretching members extending from the sides of thebody of apparatus and adapted to be actuated by said racks, and means insaid box for producing reeiprocatory movements of said racks, trackswithin the body of the apparatus, and rollers connected with said racksand running upon said tracks, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

18. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a hollowbody forming a table for the support of a skin or hide which is to bestretched, of a box in said body, said box comprising a base-plate and atop-plate, and said box being formed with open parts in its sides, aseries of rollers in said box, a series of racks arranged between thebottom and top-plates of said box and having portions extending from theopen parts thereof, said racks being in rolling engagement with therollers in said box, stretching members extending from the sides of thebody of said apparatus and adapted to be actuated by said racks, andgear-wheels in said box and in mesh with the teeth of said racks for producing reeiprocatory movements of said racks, tracks within the body ofthe apparatus, and rollers connected with said racks and running uponsaid tracks, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

19. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a hollowbody forming a table for the support of a skin or hide which is to bestretched, of a box in said body, said box comprising a base-plate and atop-plate, and said box being formed with open parts in its sides, aseries of rollers in said box, a series of racks arranged between thebottom and topplates of said box and having portions extending from theopen parts thereof, said racks being in rolling engagement with therollers in said box, stretching members extending from the sides of thebody of said apparatus and adapted to be actuated by said racks, andgear-wheels in said box and in mesh with the teeth of said racks forproducing reeiprocatory movements of said racks, a pinion also arrangedin said box and in mesh with one of said gear-wheels, and means foractuating said pinion, tracks within the body of the apparatus, androllers connected with said racks and running upon said tracks,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

20. In a leather-stretching apparatus, the combination with a hollowbody forming a table for the support of a skin or hide which is to bestretched, of a box in said body, said box comprising a base-plate and atop-plate, and said box being formed with open parts in its sides, aseries of rollers in said box, a series of racks arranged between thebottom and top-plates of said box and having portions extending from theopen parts thereof, said racks being in rolling engagement with therollers in said box, stretching members extending from the sides of thebody of said apparatus and adapted to be actuated by said racks, andgear-wheels in said box and in mesh with the teeth of said racks forproducing reciprocatory movements of said racks, a pinion also arrangedin said box and in mesh with one of said gear-Wheels, and means foractuating said pinion, consisting of a shaft provided With means foroperating the same, a gear-wheel on said shaft, a second shaft, agearwvheel on said second shaft with which the gear-wheel of the firstmentioned shaft'engages, a bevel-gear on said second shaft, and a secondbevel-gear arranged upon the spindle of said pinion and in mesh withsaid first-mentioned bevelgear, tracks Within the body of the apparatus,and rollers connected with said racks and running upon said tracks,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 18th day of December, 1907.

ARTHUR CLEVELAND.

Witnesses:

FREDK. G. FRAENTZEL, ANNA H. ALTER.

